Review of Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008) by Nazmul A — 12 Dec 2011

I've been meaning to see this film and finally watched it recently. Jim Sturgess plays Martin McGartland, an Irish Catholic, popular young lad in Belfast during the troubles. With the urging of a member of the British Special Branch, Martin infiltrates the IRA and provides information to Fergus, the Special Branch Agent played by Ben Kingsley, that effectively saved 50 'dead men' who were walking because of Martin's efforts. However, being an informant, or 'tout', is not so simple. Martin's allegiances are tested and he sees the death of members of his own community, his family is put in danger, and Martin ends up being caught and tortured while on the run...

This film is the most powerful of the films I have seen that take place during the troubles. A film, of course, for someone who has not experienced the rife tension, violence and sectarianism that characterized the troubles, cannot do justice to the tragedy and loss of that era. Despite this, I found the script to be marvellously written, the movie felt like a pschological/political thriller, and there wasn't a single weak performance by any actor in my opinion. Ben Kingsley (he played Gandhi...) plays a convincing Ulster Scot (although his accent was perhaps more Scots than Ulster Scots, or even Liverpudlian, but it was believable. If you know anything about the troubles, this movie will be easy to follow and powerful in its theme and message. One piece of advice: try turning on the subtitles if you have trouble understanding the Belfast accents.